Enemies and Allies is a sci-fi novel that was released in May 2009 and written by Kevin J. Anderson. Set during the 1950’s in Cold War America, Enemies and Allies tells the story of the beginning of Superman and Batman’s careers as crime fighters as they attempt to thwart the plans of Lex Luthor. Luthor plans to cause a nuclear war as well as make people believe in a coming alien invasion, in the process stirring up his business in weapons sales. Anderson obviously has familiarity with these characters as in 2007 he released another novel set in the DC Universe called The Last Days of Krypton. For most fans of the characters however, Enemies and Allies will prove to be a real hit or miss.
Younger fans who’ve grown up with the darker and more mature versions of Batman and Superman will probably find the characters hokey and corny. Older fans, however, will probably be taken back to watching George Reeves and Adam West when they were kids. Enemies and Allies definitely evokes a nostalgia and feel that older fans will embrace but I also believe if you enjoy period stories you’ll find the book entertaining as well. Bruce Wayne is the fashionable, womanizing playboy again while Clark is a bit of a bumbling goof who is constantly being looked down on. Anderson captures the characters well and makes them fit into the 50s again like they’d never grown up.
Enemies and Allies is an easy read. In fact, one of my only real complaints about it is the fact that the book really is pretty short. If you compare Enemies and Allies to The Last Days of Krypton you’d notice that it’s 90 pages shorter and contains a noticeably larger font size then The Last Days of Krypton. It really was over almost as soon as it started. Enemies and Allies is available in Hardcover, Paperback and on various EReaders as well. If you’re a fan of nostalgia and Superman/Batman team-ups, you’ll enjoy Enemies and Allies.